My main interent access is on my iPhone and it's not the most convenient for blogging so posts will be infrequent.

The day I left for Florida, Ian Howes decided to come down as well so I had someone to travel with. It also meant we could drive straight through instead of stopping overnight. Suhweet!

The weather was amazing for the whole time I was driving but when Ian took over it started to pour and, since we were up in the mountains by this time, foggy too. It rained off and on pretty much until we got to Tarpon Springs.

The first day, Jess and I went for an easy paddle, talking the whole time. We hit up Panera's and did some other stuff and then went for another paddle in the afternoon.

On Sunday, I went for a paddle and then a run and got back to the ramp in time to see Daddio, Olga and Tamas jr as well as Sarah's parents. I met up with Jess afterwards and we paddled the 6km out to the Gulf and then headed to the beach. We hung out there for an hour or so and then paddled back in. The weather has been perfect since we arrived (which, th locals tell us was theturning point of a 7 or 8 week freezing, rainy stretch)

On Monday, I jumped on my bike and rode out to Dunedin - i think it's about 25km but will have to check on G-Earth (or Girth, as I like to call it). I arrived before anything much was open so went to Kelly's Chic-a-Boom-Room for brunch - so good, eggs benedict with turkey and chili-lime hollandaise. Seriously delicious!

I rode back, packed a dry bag, jumped in my boat and headed for the Gulf against an insane headwind at high tide. I hung out at the beach for about 40 minutes, then paddled back in. It wasn't too bad - even thought the tide was going out, the wind was at my back.

I grabbed a coffee at starbucks and then walked over to the sponge docks. It was PACKED with tourists so I only went into one store. One of the sales clerks started talking to me and then, because of my "accent" asked where I was from. Turns out she's from Alberta, has lived here for a little over a decade and wants to move back to B.C. (has a horror of raising her new little baby in Florida). I mentioned that I might start looking for a place in the future and, since she doesn't want to move until a year or so from now, I'm going to go check out her place. It's a little further south than I was considering but it's right on the Pinellas Trail and about 1km from the Gulf - 1920s bungalow finished in red oak. We shall see!

I decided to grab dinner at the Lime 'n Coconut - ceviche and shrimp. Ahhh perfect day!

I dropped by Pete's house on my way out that night - I was on a hunt for a decent book store (a rare animal, believe me!) Howe's is convinced that there are no stores dedicated to selling books anywhere in this area (although we think there might be many book-burning stations in teh state). They suggested I hit Target. I did and found two aisles of books - one of which was completely dedicated to youth literature (read "Vampire Stories") and the other to biographies of american personalities. however I did find something I've been meeding to read so was satisfied with the trip. I went to bed early which turned out to be a good thing since the people in the room above mine came in at 4:00am and banged around for awhile.

A couple lost hours in the middle of the night meant I slept in until about 8:30 and spent longer than usual drinking my starbuck's coffee. I felt great as I headed out for a paddle - 12 km (6 hard into the wind and against the tide and 6 amazing!! with both tide and wind at my back....
I was so starving when I got back that I decided today was the day for a Danny K's (aka Helen's South) breakfast. I was just on my way out for a run but stopped by the motel office to replenish my toilet paper stock (no housekeeping here) when I saw the interent computer was free. Bonus. So now I'm all caught up!

Today is Eve's last chemo treatment. Over the next few days she will feel progressively worse but, given the positive attitude she's maintained throughout this process and the fact that she is D-O-N-E, she will be happy that it's all over. If you know her, drop her a line to cheer her up! I know it means a lot to her to hear from us.

going for a run and then my afternoon paddle. Cheers!